Amusement device.



N0..v87,792. PATENTED APE. 18, 1905.

1E. T. RILEY. v AMUSEMENT DEVICE. APPLIATION FILED FEB. 23,1904.

UNiTED STATES Patented April 18, 1905.

FRANK T. RILEY, GF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

AMUSEMENT DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 787,792, dated April 18, 1905.

Application filed February 23, 1904. Serial No. 194,664.

To all rif/"wm, it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK T. RILEY, a citizen of the United States` residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Amusement Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to amusement devices, and more particularly to what may be properly termed indoor football garneboards, my object being to enable a game to be played which closely simulates college football in nearly everything pertaining' to the real play, except, of course, the number engaged, the physical efforts put forth, and the individual skill of the players, the element of luck or chance entering largely into the indoor game to give the players nearly equal chances to win, though the possibility of advantage derived by an exercise of good judgment as to what play to make at certain junctures is not absent.

Another object of the invention is to produce a device through which may be imparted a theoretical knowledge of college foot-ball and an appreciation of the technical points of the real game. In brief, the players of the indoor game fumble, block kicks, punt, make touch-downs, kick goal from field, rush the ball, are penalized, &c., following closely all the foot-ball rules as to scoring, &c. 1

Indoor foot-ball is played by two persons, though more can play by appointing a refcree, umpire, and coaches The game continues for two halves of specified length-ten, fifteen, twenty minutes, &c. agreed upon before starting play. The game is to score as much as possible before the call of time When more than two are playing, periods of ten minutes should be played, the loser yielding his place to one of the offlcials at the end of first period. Thus rotating, an interesting game is possible. In case of tie the player throwing the better hand remains in the game and the loser yields his place. In starting each throws a hand,

the two highest starting to play, the others taking positions in order as follows: referee, umpire, first coach, second coach, assistant coach, 8vo. At the end of ten minutes the sists, essentially, of a board containing the representation of a foot-ball field lined off, by preference, in five'yard spaces; a hole coincidental with each line, with two extra ones for goals; a movable peg or its equivalent representing the foot-bail and adapted to engage any 0f said holes and provided, preferably,

with three equally-spaced radial marks, one or another of which is adapted to register with the yard-line on which the ball-peg is located to show whether it is the first, second, or third down, and a set of dice, preferably five, which are thrown and counted to determine whether the ball-peg is to be advvanced and how far. or moved back and how far, or simply be turned to indicate a down without gain, it`being understood that any suitable substitute, such as cards, may be employed in lieu of the dice. The equipment also includes, by preference, a second set of holes paralleling the first and spaced every five yards, and a second peg-to represent a linesman-to engage the said second set of holes, the iinesman-peg being set even with the ball at the first down to mark the position of the ball-peg when the side holding the ball loses ground or fails to gain. A. The pegs are preferably coupled together to guard against loss.

In order that the invention may be fully understood, reference is to be had .to the following description and claims, considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l represents a top pian view of indoor foot-ball paraphernalia embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the same on the line II II of Fig. 1.

IOO

In the said drawings, 4 designates a board of suitable material and preferably inclosed by a wall or fence 5 and having a field 6 marked out to represent thel side and end lines of a foot-ball field.

7 is a longitudinal series of holes extending' longitudinally of the field and preferably centrally thereof, said holes being spaced to represent fve-yard spaces, shorter distances being ignored for convenience. An Aadvance is therefore never less than five yards, though it frequently is a multiple of such distance.

8 and 9 are goal-holes beyond the ends of the fields 6 and preferably7 in line with holes 7.

l() represents the fi ve-yard lines,half of them extending from holes 7 to one side of the field and the other half to the other side of the field, this arrangement of the yard-lines presenting a more pleasing and attractive field to the eye than if all of the lines extended clear across the field.

11 designates the linesmans peg-holes, disposed in series parallel with but preferably at opposite sides of the series of holes 7, this arrangement being for appearance sake, as the same result could be obtained with a single series of holes 11 in alinement with the yard-line.

12 is the linesrnans peg for engagement with the desired hole 11, and 13 a cord connecting said peg with the ball-peg 14, the connection beingpreferably long enough to permit the pegs to be separated at least the distance representative of fifteen yards.

The ball-peg is preferably provided with a base-fiange l5, containing three equidistant marks (indicated by the numerals 1, 2, and 3) and adapted when registering with the yardline coincidental with said peg to disclose whether it is the first, second, or third down, the player upon the first failure with the dice or equivalent to make his distance (an ad- Vance) turning the peg 14 until the line l registers with the said yard-line. Upon the second failure to advance the peg is turned to place second down-mark (numbered 2) in register' with said line. The third failure is followed by the third turning adjustment, and upon the fourth the opposing player takes the ball to have his turn to advance the ballpeg toward the opponents goal and alsohave four trials or downs to accomplish this result, a failure to advance giving the ball to the other side.

To start the game, a preliminary hand is thrown to see who kicks off.7 The better hand kicks off, the loser kicking off' at the start ofthe second half. The side holding the ball always throws first. The side holding the ball either rushes`or punts it. i/Vhen a punt is intended, it must be so expressed before hand is thrown. The side holding the ball advances as follows when rushing the ball, provided its hand is better than the opposing hand. If nothing as good as a pair is thrown, there is no gain and the peg is turned to next down.- When both throw a hand of equal value, there is no gain and peg is turned to next down. One pair advances the ball five yards; two pairs, ten yards; three of a kind, fifteen yards; a full hand, (three of a kind and a pain) twenty-five yards; four o f a kind, thirty-five yards. Five of a kind gives the thrower a touch-down from any part of the field. If opponent holds the better hand, the side rushing the ball loses as follows: One pair, no loss; simply no gain, and peg is turned to next down, (no matter if side rushing the ball has not even a pair.) Two pairs, loss of five yards; three of a kind, loss of ten yards; full hand, opponent then takes possession of the ball where it is. It is first down for him then and his turn to rush it. Four of a kind, opponent takes possession of the ball with a gain of ten yards; five of a kind, touch-down from any part of the field.

Planting-i/Vhen the side holding the ball determines to punt, a pair, two pairs, or three of a kind advances the ball forty-five yards, provided the hand thrown is better than opponents. If opponent holds the better hand, the side punting advances thirty yards. If side punting throws a full hand, (and better hand than opponents,) it advances the ball twenty-five yards and keeps possession of it. lf four of a kind is thrown, (and better hand,) thirty-five yards is gained and punter keeps possession of the ball. 1f opponent throwsa full hand, (and better hand,) he takes possession of the ball where it is. If he throws four IOO of a kind, (and better hand,) he takes possesthrow over again, just the same as if no throw had been made.

Goal fromjeldfwfiroal from the field may be attempted from the forty-five-yard line or nearer. five yard line it is necessary to shakethree of a kind or better to make the attempt successful. On the twenty-five-yard line or nearer a pair of sixes or better gives the player a goal from the field. Intention to kick goal from field must be expressed before throwing hand. 1f side attempting goal from field throws the necessary hand, he is successful and the score allowed him, (five points,) even though his opponent throws a better hand., except if opponent throws a full hand (and better hand) he blocks the attempt and takes the ball. If he throws four of a kind, (and better hand,) he takes the ball with a gain of ten yards. If attempt at goal from field is successful, the

Between the twenty-five and fortyopponent kicks ofi from the center of the field, as at the beginning. 1f itfails, opponent kicks off from the twenty-five-yard line. When the attempt at goal from eld fails and opponent throws a full hand, he takes the ball where it is and does not have to kick off from the twenty-five-yard line. Four of' a kind gives him the ball and a gain of ten yards Sc0v'z'1z,g.-The points scored in indoor football are: Touch-down, five points, made by ball being carried over an opponents goal-- line; goal kicked, one point, made by throwing better hand than opponent after having carried ball over the line for a touch-down, (in foot-ball the side making a touch-down always has this chance to kick goal, counting one point. The ball is placed on the ground, twenty-five yards from the goal-line, and is kicked over and between the goal-posts. If' it goes over and between, one point is scored, giving' side making' touch-down six points. It' the ball fails to go over the bar and between the posts, no further score is added to the touch-down score of' five points. Invindoor foot-ball this is represented by each side throwing' a hand. If the side making the touchdown throws the better hand, it kicks-goal and adds another point to the touch-down score;) goal from field, five points, by throwing three of a kind (or better) or sixes (or better) from certain parts ofthe field; safety, two points, by side holding they ball being forced back of its own goal-line with the ball in its own possession.

IeNaZtZ'ea-Tlie side playing out of turn is penalized five yards, (off-side play.) Throwing dice so they fall off the field penalizes doer ten yards, (for rough playing.) Unnecessarily delaying the game penalizes doer ten yards. When a penalty is imposed, the side penalized throws another hand, that one not counting for which he was penalized. Apenal ty cannot be imposed when player is on Zeroline, and if' on five-yard line loses only five yards. For repetition of' his misplay when in such position he loses the ball, if in his possession, and if not the other side scores a touch-down.

Jlh'scdlmz@ous-Five of a kind always gives the thrower a touch-down from any p'art of' the field except when throwing for or against -kicking goal and to see who wins kick-off'.

' Additional penalties. -lf' a player neglects to say he punts (when intending to) before throwing his hand, he is penalized ten yards.

A-player cannot call an attempt at goal from field after having thrown his hand.

In foot-ball the kick-01T (which starts the game) consists in placing the ball on the fiftyfive-yard line, (or twenty-five-yard line.) The players scatter over the field at various distances and without hindrance a player from the side kicking oif kicks the ball as far as he can. It is caught by a player of the opposing team and carried back until heis finally l downedy This is the first down five yards to gain for his'side, and the teams line up for actual play. A kick-ofi" in foot-ball is made either from the center ofthe field or from the tWenty-fivevard line. It is made from the center of the field when it starts either half after a touch-down has been scored or after goal from field has been scored. Itis made from the twenty-five-yard line after a safety has been scored after a failure of attempt to kick goal from field, and after the ball has been punted across the line, (touch-back.) A touch-back in foot-ball is when the ball is punted across the line and the opponent downs it behind the line. 1t is not necessary for this to happen in indoor foot-ball, because if punted from the forty-five-yard line for forty-five yards opponent gets it on his zero-line. i -It should not be punted from the forty-yard line or nearer, because a goal from the field can be attempted from here. As ball will be kicked oi from the twenty-five-yard line any way,the attempt to kick goal from field should be made. However, it is not against the rules to so punt.

When the side holding the ball has lost twenty yards in. its attempts to advance, it keeps the ball and starts again at first down, or it may yield enough to make .a loss of' twenty yards at any time and keep the ball, starting at rst down. Of course a loss cannot be yielded after the third down.

From the above description it will be apparent that l have produced paraphernalia for the playing of' indoor foot-ball possessing the advantages enumerated and which is suscep: tible of modication without departing from the'spiritand scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

l. The combination of' a board provided with a field, divided into yard-lines7 a suitable distance apart, and with holes coincidental with said `lines and extra or goal-post holes at the ends of the field, a movable ballpeg to fit in any of said holes, and means for determining toward which end of the Vfield said object shall be moved or whether it shall be moved at all; said peg having marks to be disposed successively toward the yard-line coincidental with the peg to indicate first, second or third down.

2. The combination of a board provided with a eld divided into yard-lines, an object movablc on said field and representative of a foot-ball, means for determining toward which end of' the field said object shall be moved or whether it shall be moved at all, and means flexibly connected with said object and movable across the field to remain upon the yard-line from which said'object has been previously moved.

3. The combination of a board provided IOO IIO

with a field divided into yard-lines and with two series of holes coincidental with said lines, a pin for engagement with one hole of one of said series of holes and representative of a foot-ball, a second pin for engagement with one of the other series of holes and representative of a linesmanf7 and a flexible eonneetionhetween said pins.

4. The combination of a board provided with a field, divided into yard-lines,7 a rotatable object representative of a Jfoot-ball and adapted to be moved across said field and to be stationed on the desired line and provided With a plurality of different marks for registration with the line upon which the ohjeet is stationed, and means for determining to which line of the field said object shall be moved or Whether it shall he rotated to canse In testimony whereof I afx my signature inA the presence of two Witnesses.

FRANK T.` RILEY. Vitnesses:

H. C. RoDGERs, G. Y. THORPE. 

